Professor Potter rose. "When trouble comes," he
began, "I and my wife are going to be occupied. The forces
of Darkness will tie us down and keep us from leading the battle.
Someone must be chosen who will be in charge, who everyone else
will follow. I would like suggestions on who that person should
be."
When the professor stopped speaking total silence fell over the
hall. Everyone just looked at each other. Then Malfoy rose.
"Mr. Malfoy?" the professor acknowledged.
"Well, we have somebody here," Malfoy began,
"who's power has defeated Voldemort twice, he really seems
to have a hard time dealing with him even when he outnumbers him
ten or better. Everybody knows who I'm talking about, and I think
everybody else, no matter how old they are, feels the same way I
do. Harry Potter was put here in this dark hour, to overcome this
evil. It's take some of us a very long time to recognize that.
But many of us have come to see it. If Voldemort attacks Harry
should be the one leading the fight, because Harry is the one he
fears most, and Harry is the one who will eventually destroy him,
I know that! I know that perhaps I am not the one who should be
saying this. My father was a death eater. It was Harry's
testimony that sent him to prison. But I do not blame Harry for
that. I blame Voldemort for that. He was the one that corrupted
my father. I say I will follow Harry wherever he leads and I ask
everyone else to say likewise."
Ginny rose, and stood beside Malfoy. Then Ron rose, and his
companions. Then his brothers rose and slowly everybody in the
room rose. At the head of the table Hagrid rose, then, Mrs.
Potter, then the headmistress until there was no one seated. The
doors opened and the caretaker entered nodding his head. Mr.
Potter looked around. "Well!" he remarked, "I'm
already standing so I can't stand up! Everyone please be seated.
What say you, Harry? This is something that we can't force on
someone, and I mean that! A person has to take a position like
this of their own free will. If you do not want it simply say
so."
Harry stood up. "Who would want it?" he remarked.
"I don't think I'm worthy, I don't think anybody could be
worthy! But I will do my best. Tell me what needs to be
done."
Mr. Potter smiled and came around the table. "You have to
start assigning positions, Harry, and this is the first thing
you'll have to deal with. These are anchor stones. They need to
be charged for ten days, and then boosted every day. When the
battle comes they need to be placed at the four corners of the
school and activated. They'll operate for ten hours though I
don't think they'll be needed for that long. While they're being
operated no magical transport will work within a mile of the
school. Anyone trying to fly a broom will crash to the ground.
Anyone trying to levitate won't get off the ground. Anyone trying
to open a portal to teleport will create only sparks. When the
attackers are here we don't want them to be able to flee. We want
to force them to stand and fight. We need four teams of four to
handle this task. Who would you suggest?"
"Oliver!" Harry cried, "Oliver Wood!"
Gryffindor's Quidditch captain hurried up. "Yes Harry?"
he asked. "Oliver," Harry continued, "I'd like you
and the other team captains to handle this effort. Pick your
partners. But I want the four of you to be in charge of these
stones and to operate them. You understand the principle of
flying. You will be the very best to block it!"
"Right, Harry!" Oliver snapped. "Team captains to
me!"
"Now there is the matter of security in the buildings,"
Professor Potter continued. "We will need patrols, people
stationed at key points to make sure the enemy doesn't get behind
us."
"No!" Harry put in. Professor Potter looked at him
shocked, then Harry continued. "We don't need people to
stand guard. There isn't a hall way in this castle or a room that
doesn't have a painting! The paintings will be our eyes and ears!
They will monitor every inch of the school, and we will give them
power for a few hours to repel any attackers."
Professor Potter looked around on the walls, smiled and nodded.
"Very good thinking, Harry!" he remarked.
Sir Nicholas spoke up among the ghosts. "We thought we would
be doing that, Harry! Isn't there some place for us?"
"Yes!" Harry answered. "When the fighting starts
the hospital is going to be very important to us. Our injured
will have to be taken there. I am sure those opposing us will
send dark spirits to attack those tending the injured. I want
every ghost we have in the hospital protecting the injured,
keeping them safe! That will be the most important ground to
hold!"
Nicholas straightened. "It will be held, Harry! It will be
held!" he snapped. Harry nodded. "There's one
thing," Mr. Potter put in. "Gregory!"
One of the students came over and took off his jacket. He had a
short sleeved shirt on under it. On his arm was a tattoo.
"All the death eaters have a mark," Mr. Potter
explained, "like this. This one isn't real. I only drew it
on. It's a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. As soon as
they are captured this mark must be removed. It will cause them
unbelievable agony, and some of them will die shortly after it is
removed. But if it is not removed and Voldemort is destroyed
forever, they will be destroyed with him. As many of them as we
can we must break their connection with him, not only to weaken
his power as it will, but to save as many of them as we
can."